No office rate
31535 is for obtaining a biopsy during operative laryngoscopy. Choose 31545 when the documented service removes the vocal fold lesion under magnified visualization.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
31545 Vocal cord excision Medicare reimbursement rates in New Jersey
Reports operative removal of vocal fold lesion(s) through direct laryngoscopy using an operating microscope or telescope, such as excision of a polyp or cyst. Compare 31545 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in New Jersey.
Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.
What does Medicare pay for 31545 in New Jersey?
New Jersey has 2 payment localities in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the 2 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
No supported rate
Facility setting
$323.22–$331.86
2 of 2 localities have a supported rate.
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Laryngology
About 31545: Microlaryngoscopic vocal cord lesion excision
Reports operative removal of vocal fold lesion(s) through direct laryngoscopy using an operating microscope or telescope, such as excision of a polyp or cyst.
An otolaryngologist performs this operative laryngoscopy to remove lesion(s) from a vocal fold while viewing the larynx through an operating microscope or telescope. Typical cases include microlaryngeal excision of a vocal fold polyp or cyst in a patient with persistent hoarseness. The service is commonly performed in an operating room, often in a hospital or ambulatory surgery center, rather than as an office examination.
Report the code when the documented service includes operative excision of vocal cord lesion(s) with the specified magnified endoscopic visualization. The operative report should identify the lesion and vocal fold site, describe the excision, and document use of the microscope or telescope; a biopsy-only service or destruction rather than excision points to a different code. Medicare assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When related endoscopies are performed together, CMS endoscopy-family pricing applies. For a bilateral procedure, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, and co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 31545
- Global period
- Minor procedure with a 0-day global period: same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included.
- Multiple procedures
- Endoscopy family pricing applies when related endoscopies are performed together.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral procedure with modifier 50 is paid at 150%.
- Assistant at surgery
- Statutory restriction: assistant at surgery is not paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons not permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU6.14 · 67%
- Practice expense (office) RVU2.11 · 23%
- Malpractice RVU0.90 · 10%
965
Medicare services in 2024 · #3001 by national volume
This summary was written with AI assistance from CMS physician fee schedule data and checked against the CMS billing rules shown here. Rates on this page come directly from CMS files.
31545 compared with similar codes
Office rates for New Jersey, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
31541 describes operative removal of a tumor or vocal cord stripping with an operating microscope or telescope. This code is specific to excision of vocal cord lesion(s).
$553.76–$582.76
31572 is for laser destruction of a laryngeal lesion. This code is for excision of vocal cord lesion(s), not destruction.
No office rate
31546 is the related vocal cord lesion procedure involving reconstruction, such as grafting; 31545 describes excision without that reconstructive element.
Compare 31545 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
2 of 2 payment localities
Northern Nj →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$331.86
Rest Of New Jersey →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$323.22
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31545 billing questions
When should this code be chosen instead of a laryngoscopy biopsy code?
Use this code when the surgeon excises a vocal fold lesion under an operating microscope or telescope. A service limited to obtaining tissue for diagnosis is a biopsy service.
How does this differ from laser destruction of a vocal fold lesion?
This code represents excision of lesion tissue under magnified operative visualization. A service that destroys a lesion with laser rather than excising it is represented by the laser-destruction code.
What should the operative note support?
Document the vocal fold site and lesion, the operative excision performed, and use of an operating microscope or telescope. State whether the procedure was unilateral or bilateral.
How is a bilateral procedure reported?
CMS pays a bilateral procedure reported with modifier 50 at 150%. The documentation should support treatment on both sides.
Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be paid for this procedure?
CMS does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
What happens when another related endoscopy is performed at the same session?
CMS endoscopy-family pricing applies when related endoscopies are performed together. Report the services performed, with documentation distinguishing each procedure.
Where these rates come from
FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense, and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.
Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.
3,59131536,,Laryngoscopy w/bx & op scope,A,,3.46,1.41,NA,1.41,,0.49,5.36,5.36,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,1,0,0,9,31526,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,59231540,,Laryngoscopy w/exc of tumor,A,,4.02,1.55,NA,1.55,,0.58,6.15,6.15,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,1,0,0,9,31525,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,59331541,,Larynscop w/tumr exc + scope,A,,4.41,1.64,NA,1.64,,0.64,6.69,6.69,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,1,0,0,9,31526,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,59431545,,Remove vc lesion w/scope,A,,6.14,2.11,NA,2.11,,0.90,9.15,9.15,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,1,1,0,0,9,31526,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,59531546,,Remove vc lesion scope/graft,A,,9.49,2.93,NA,2.93,,1.37,13.79,13.79,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,1,1,0,0,9,31526,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,59631551,,Laryngoplasty laryngeal sten,A,,20.96,17.05,NA,17.05,,3.05,41.06,41.06,0,090,0.10,0.76,0.14,2,0,0,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,59731552,,Laryngoplasty laryngeal sten,A,,19.99,16.84,NA,16.84,,2.92,39.75,39.75,0,090,0.10,0.76,0.14,2,0,0,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00